A picture showing inmates at the Juba Central Prison. Photo credit: Courtesy

90-year-old Moses Ohiti Lowa leaves Juba Prison a free man after being among 71 inmates pardoned by President Salva Kiir on Friday evening.

Ohiti has been on death row for the last 18 years after being jailed for murder in 2005.

In Republican Order read on SSBC on Friday evening, Kiir granted pardons to 36 inmates on death row including Ohiti, at Juba Central Prison.

The head-of-state also pardoned 35 inmates who were sentenced for failing to pay compensations or a court fines.

Human right advocate Godfrey Victor Bulla said lacked knowledge of the law is a violation of their constitutional rights.

“They are people who reconciled, but their names didn’t appear on this list and the judiciary is not able to release them even though they have filed a petition of reconciliation and some of the complainers came a long way from village to Juba to solve the matter, but they fail to resolve it,” Victor said.

Godfrey added that more than 400 inmates are currently on death row in Juba and Wau prisons.

He called on the president to abolish the death penalty in the country.

The advocate said most of the death inmates were convicted without a defense lawyer and others had no witnesses in their trials.

“But they end up convicted because of a lack of knowledge on the laws and their rights ending up surrendering and all this producer has gone wrong.”

He said it is a violation of their constitutional rights.